July 13, 2011

Wow that was a lot of reading to do but I still have 20 minutes to write so I think I can still do this.            
 
Hello Family!!!           
 
I am getting through the weeks doing my best to keep the missionary spirit by just smiling.  Don´t worry, Elder Sanderson is telling me everyday to smile.  Also when we are practicing doing lessons, Elder Kent is reminding me to look at the other persons eyes while I am both talking and listening.  It´s a little uncomfortable for me but hopefully I can get used to it.  
 
Elder Brady just got here at the CTM today (Scotty if you haven´t figured it out) [Scott Brady is Kevin Brady's first cousin] and it was good to see him.   It´s weird to see him speaking some Portuguese but I guess it´s the same for him to see me doing it.  
 
We only did a short time outside the CTM today, unlike last week, when it was like more than two hours.  Today we were only outside for 45 minutes.  Last week I sent letters to the family so they should be there sometime by the end of this week.  I got a new pen today, since all the pens that I brought exploded, and a cheap pen I got here busted somehow. So I went to the store with a mindset of getting a 20,00 Reais pen, because they don´t have my favorite pen here.  I found, though, right next to the 20,00 Reais pen, a Laser pen that was 24,75 Reais; and it writes and it has a laser and it has a flashlight, so I thought it was a good deal.  (In American dollars that would only be $16.00.)  That was exciting.  I´m sure you guys are proud of me.  [!!!]
 
Thanks for all the tips on stress, that helped a lot.  It´s good to hear about all of the missionary experiences that are going on back home.  It´s a small world.  I´m going to be proselyting this Friday (I hope I spelled it right), so wish me luck as I will have my first experience talking to a Brazilian and inviting him to read the Book of Mormon.  Elder [Bradley] Craft told me he did it last week, and he said he forgot everything that he learned and he couldn´t say anything.  Hopefully I don´t end up like that but I have a feeling I might.  My companion on the other hand will be fine since he knows Spanish and learning the language is simple for him.  Anyway, I know I´ll be fine, I just have to trust in the Lord and listen to the Spirit, and I will be able to say what I need to to the people.  
 
Can´t think of much else to say except that I really cannot wait to go to Florianópolis to preach the gospel to the people.   I know why I got called to Brazil because I am learning not to give up.  My teacher here said the same thing; he said that maybe I am here, too, because serving in America would have been too easy for me.            
 
Love you, bye,     
Elder Brady